


Gentle

by Oddaudrey



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gohan and 16 share a moment before the Cell games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 16:17:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15952994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddaudrey/pseuds/Oddaudrey
Summary: Gohan and Android 16 feed some birds together and Android 16 learns what makes Gohan so unique.





	Gentle

After Android 16’s surgery, he resided at Capsule Corp, awaiting the day that Cell chose to unleash hell upon Earth. 

As 16 threw away his programmed goals, Cell created his own with far more malicious intent. 

For a so-called ‘perfect being’ he lacked the understanding of empathy and tranquility amongst other beings that inhabited Earth from plants, to animals, to even people. 

While the creature planned to toy with the lives of others and control them like marionettes attached to strings, 16 plotted to use self-detonation to protect what he loved most. Everything was so clear to him as he traveled around with his sibling androids with a plan to assassinate someone.

Life had to be protected. 

Thoughts like that plagued him as he sat in the Brief’s garden. In the palm of his hand sat a bright red bird that’s head darted around, the small animal was content and observing his surroundings. 

Behind him, he heard footsteps, for once the bird didn’t fly away at the sound of sudden movement coming towards it. It remained calm and welcoming of the new presence. 

“Hi 16, how around you?” He recognized the voice as his former target’s son, Gohan. 

His creator researched Gohan’s father Goku and his friends over years, observing how they fight and what they’re capable of…Gohan was the one person out of the Z-fighters Dr. Gero didn’t bother with. 

Perhaps it was because the boy was just a child or for some other reason, 16 did not know. 

He was never quite able to get too close to Gohan, he didn’t feel a need to and surely didn’t know that he no longer cared for killing Goku. 

As Gohan stood tom the porch door he opened his scanners silently and began running a diagnosis of his abilities. 

Right off the bat, he had a massive amount of power within him laying dormant and it wasn’t even because he was still in his Super Saiyan form…It was because he held so much within him so silently, it was as if he had no knowledge of what he was capable of. 

In his hands was a bag that he held up so 16 could observe it, “I thought you’d like this. It’s a bag of bird seed”. 

“Birdseed?” 16 questioned for confirmation. 

“It’s something birds eat, they love it.” Gohan explained, “I heard you liked birds so…”. 

Gohan shyly drifted off, “I-I can go if you want.”

“No,” 16 said and gestured to an empty spot next to him on the porch, “stay.”

Gohan smiled happily and took up 16’s offer. 

Once sitting, he opened up the bag and cradled some of the small seeds in his hand and passed them over to the bird still content in 16’s palm. 

The bird happily tweeted and pecked at the seeds gaining a smile from 16. 

Suddenly two more birds flew towards 16. A few more towards Gohan when he scattered more seeds around where he and 16 sat, a handful of seeds were littered across the grass across from them where the swarm of more bashful birds found resident in. 

16 was absolutely appalled at how much the birds adored Gohan’s presence. He had never seen them treat someone other than him with so much trust. 

A bluebird found itself comfortable on Gohan’s shoulder. 

“It likes you.” 16 commented, Gohan silently smiled in response. 

“I have never seen so many birds in one place.” 16 turned towards the garden now littered with different colored feathers. 

“They appreciate people who feed them.” Gohan said as he gently pet one of the birds sitting in his lap. He grabbed a few more seeds that the bird happily fed on as the bird on his shoulder decided to join his lap as well. 

“Thank you, Gohan.” 16 told him “I have never met someone quite as unique as you.”

Gohan turned to him, eyes wide with surprise.

“Really?” he asked. 

“Yes, you are a strong and skilled fighter. Yet, you can balance that so easily with your gentle nature.” 16 told him “How is that? I do not understand.” 

“I don’t really have an explanation, that’s just how I am.” Gohan said so simply, as if the concept was so easy to grasp.

A being who does not wish to harm others has the capability to kill and can still act out on it seems impossible. How can two traits combined with such harmony? The thought nearly contradicts itself as a whole and yet Gohan still lives with it as a fiber of his being. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” Gohan asked in a hushed voice, it was so sacred that even when alone it had to be discussed quietly. 

16 nodded in response. 

“I hate fighting.” Gohan said, “Absolutely hate it. I only do it because I have to. Everyone relied on me so early on that I really didn’t have a choice.”

“Then why do you still fight?” 16 questioned. 

“To protect everyone,” Gohan replied “to protect the Earth and the people I love. It’s my only real motivation. Everyone I know does it for fun but…Why fight people who aren’t bad? Why fight for no reason but for sport? I never understood it. I don’t exactly have a choice, things haven’t been easy since Saiyans invaded this place. I’ve been training non-stop and it’s all so I can be ready to defeat evil people.”

16 looked at him with an expression of sympathy. 

“It’s okay though, because I have a good reason to fight. That’s why I still do it.” Gohan said, hugging his knees after placing the rest of his bird seed on the ground beside him.

“You are very selfless, Gohan. This world is very lucky to have you protecting it.” 16 praised him, “I too will fight to protect those I love…These birds.” 

Gohan let out a laugh, covering his mouth to contain it so he wouldn’t scare the birds away. 

Gohan would look back on that moment, remembering the words 16 said to him in that garden and the kind smile on his face when Gohan admitted his true feelings to him, all while staring down at 16’s crushed decapitated head. 

The birds the flew over to eat seeds out of the palms of their hands, Gohan could still see them…He saw them in the reflection of 16’s glassy eye. 

Gohan, let it go.. It is not a sin to fight for the right cause... there is those who words alone will not reach. Cell is such a being…I know how you feel Gohan, you are gentle...You don’t like to hurt. I know because I too have learned these feelings…But it because you cherish life that you must protect it. Please.. drop your restraints. Protect the life I once loved…You have the strength, my scanners sensed it…Just…let it go…

Gohan let it go.


End file.
